(CNN) - Sarah Palin's image is everywhere as she launches a highly-anticipated book tour this week, but the former Alaska governor is unhappy with at least one media organization's depiction of her.

Palin took aim at Newsweek's eye-catching cover this week that shows the former vice presidential candidate in her running outfit - an image that was apparently lifted from a Runner's World photo shoot months ago. Writing on her Facebook page Monday night, Palin said the depiction is flat out "sexist, and oh-so-expected."

"The choice of photo for the cover of this week's Newsweek is unfortunate. When it comes to Sarah Palin, this 'news' magazine has relished focusing on the irrelevant rather than the relevant," Palin wrote. "The out-of-context Newsweek approach is sexist, and oh-so-expected by now."

"If anyone can learn anything from it: it shows why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, gender, or color of skin. The media will do anything to draw attention – even if out of context," Palin also said.

The photo is accompanied by text that states "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Sarah? She's bad news for the GOP - and for everybody else too."

Palin has held back few punches at the media in the initial stages of her publicity tour. The former governor slammed the Associated Press for its recent fact check that took issue with several of the memoir's contentions and, in her Oprah appearance that aired Monday, Palin slammed the way the media treated her family during the campaign.

The Alaska Republican also doesn't hold back in her book, writing at one point, "I had been out of journalism for a long time, and it was pretty obvious the rules had changed. I felt sick about the depths to which some in the press had apparently sunk, not because it was unfair to me and John, but because it was unfair to the American electorate."

UPDATE: Newsweek editor Jon Meacham is defending the image the magazine chose for its cover.

"We chose the most interesting image available to us to illustrate the theme of the cover, which is what we always try to do," he told CNN Tuesday. "We apply the same test to photographs of any public figure, male or female: does the image convey what we are saying? That is a gender-neutral standard."

soundoff(300 Responses)

denim

Somehow, I have no particular sympathy for Palin. She's clearly not familiar with the way the media and the internet works. Once a pic is out there, it's out there. You've lost control of it. She's a looker. It's too bad her insides don't match.

November 17, 2009 10:12 am at 10:12 am |

Eye Roller

What's the difference between Sarah conjuring up images of 'Death Panels' and Newsweek conjuring up images to present her as a 'lightweight'. Both are manipulative. As with so many public figures, Sarah likes to dish it out but doesn't enjoy taking it. Go cry someplace else, Sarah. Isn't her 15 minutes of fame up yet? Geez, what an annoying . . .

November 17, 2009 10:12 am at 10:12 am |

melissa

Uggh. Please just go away Sarah. For everyone's sake- Go. Away.

November 17, 2009 10:13 am at 10:13 am |

Just keep going, Sarah . . .

Just remember these two little statements, Sarah:

1) Living well is the best revenge.
2) Annoy the Liberals: work hard, succeed, be happy.

Not sure you're presidential material - yet - but you sure are one heck of an impressive woman - and as a fellow woman, I'm proud of you!

November 17, 2009 10:13 am at 10:13 am |

Mariann Pepitone

Sarah Palin is right about the media. They are nothing but trash and they have made up stories not only about Palin but also about members of congress, Obama. Biden, McCain and others. That's what education didn't do for them. And there are movie stars that have sued them for indecent stories like Newsweek did to Palin. If I was her I would sue them also. I can just imagine what kind of family they come from and how they werre raised.

November 17, 2009 10:13 am at 10:13 am |

Myth Buster

She is so painfully stupid!!!

November 17, 2009 10:13 am at 10:13 am |

GWB2012

Thanks, Newsweek, for the beautiful picture of Sarah, all the while proving her point that you media are totally biased. That's why her book will sell more copies than your rag mag ever will!

GO SARAH.

PS: What's the matter? Run out of pics of Michelle and Barack? haaaaaaaa

November 17, 2009 10:13 am at 10:13 am |

2012

Apparently she can dish it out but not take it? Come on Sarah. Buck up girlfriend. Stay hidden and you wouldn't have to worry about exposure. Duh. Personally I love a good laugh every now and then. 🙂

November 17, 2009 10:13 am at 10:13 am |

Monica

Shocking? Shocking is what happened to Newsweek... It used to be a serious political mag, reliable and unbiased. Now it's a tabloid. Same for NYT. I hope Fox takes a lesson from that – if you over do it , you lose all credibility. Sarah has been very good for the Republican base – this kind of figure was desperately needed for the party. But she won't be a nominee in 2012.

November 17, 2009 10:13 am at 10:13 am |

Wow!

Very accurate depiction of Palin!
This is what she wanted and she got it!
Media can not be changed you can call them whatever.
Media cares only for business and business is business no matter what.

November 17, 2009 10:14 am at 10:14 am |

Rasheed

So it's okay for conservative women to play victim, but if a minority where to say something was racist, conservative radio would be claiming they are playing the race card and hurting race relations. No one has accused conservative women of hurting gender relationships yet. I bet this is because the real reason they yell, "playing victim, or race card," is because they want to silence ethnic minorities from speaking out.

November 17, 2009 10:14 am at 10:14 am |

greg

"Flat out" sexist? You posed for it you moron!

November 17, 2009 10:14 am at 10:14 am |

gary

Is this the sarah network or what. Why is she still in the news.

November 17, 2009 10:14 am at 10:14 am |

Keith Johnson

Time to cancel my Newsweek subscription...Shameful!

November 17, 2009 10:14 am at 10:14 am |

skurfer

This woman is a nut!

November 17, 2009 10:15 am at 10:15 am |

HoldingUpTheMirror

You posed for it. No one photoshopped that image. Exactly when is Mrs. Palin going to take responsibility for her own actions and words? It was 'Ms. Perky' who screwed her in the "what do you read" interview, and it was McCain's campaign aides who made her look bad on the campaign trail, and it was litigation that chased her from the governor's office, and it was.... and it was... and it was..... and so on and so forth. Case closed.

November 17, 2009 10:15 am at 10:15 am |

Donna

Was it photoshopped? If so, then she has a right to complain. If not, suck it up, Sarah. If you posed for that photo and allowed it to go into the public sphere, then shut the hell up. In fact, just shut up in general.

November 17, 2009 10:15 am at 10:15 am |

JB

Enough already.

I would rather eat a roll of aluminum foil than read another word about Ms. Palin.

November 17, 2009 10:15 am at 10:15 am |

Eric

And why did she do that photo shoot? As a politician, ANY time you step in front of a camera, for any reason, you are putting your career at risk. That's the way it is. If she doesn't like it, perhaps she choose the wrong profession. I didn't feel the photo was sexist, or inappropriate. This is EXACTLY the mental image of herself that she tried to push on the American people during the 2008 election (the soccer mom). That it is now coming back to bite her at a time when she would rather be seen as a serious person is completely ironic, and frankly hilarious.

November 17, 2009 10:15 am at 10:15 am |

bob

What did she think the public liked her for, her brains? AAA HA HA HA!

November 17, 2009 10:16 am at 10:16 am |

ESM

Her only real talents seem to be averting any responsibility for anything she's ever done and blaming others for her problems. That's when she's not writing a book full of already discredited lies. I think she treats the American people worse than any politician ever because she counts on their inability to weed out the truth to further her aspirations and booksales. She single-handedly destroyed McCain's chances at the Presidency (although of course she blames all the people that trusted her and gave her an incredible chance!), while I see that McCain has asked his staffers to be more professional than her. Shows you a little more about how shallow and arrogant she is.

November 17, 2009 10:16 am at 10:16 am |

Dave

How sexist could the photo be? She's the one who posed for it in the first place

November 17, 2009 10:16 am at 10:16 am |

Abby

Ohh…I love ‘the Sound of Music’.

November 17, 2009 10:16 am at 10:16 am |

PAUL

Wonder how much she got paid for this? She slams Levi for his spreadsheet , this is hers!!! Moron.

November 17, 2009 10:16 am at 10:16 am |

Peezer

Newsweek is focusing on the irrelevant rather than the relevant? Really? Well, what IS relevant about Sarah Palin? She's not a politician (she quit, remember?), so as far as I can tell, she's a wife, mother and new book author. Why she feels she needs to be held to a different or higher standard is beyond me. She holds no post, no position, no title that would deem that cover photo inappropropriate.